receding gumline and tooth loss question

irishbran77

Hi all,

I have crowding of the bottom front teeth. And because of this the gumline is receding. I've been flossing, brushing and using medicinal mouth-wash but it doesn't seem to make a difference. Now I've found that at the back of one tooth, if i run my tongue along it, I can feel a slight 'catching' sensation, like the part of the tooth that was below has become exposed and is grittier than the above gumline part of the tooth.

The dentist said everything was fine 4 months ago but I'm scared witless I'm very soon going to lose a tooth! Does anyone know if this severity of gum recession means I'm going to lose the tooth very soon? Is it reversible? And if a tooth is lost, can an artifical 'plug' be insert to fix the cosmetics of the teeth?

Thanks all.

fonpokno

This has happened to me with a few teeth over the years. My two top front teeth have had this happen a bit due to a lot of work being done and it's never adversely affected me apart from the slight unpleasant sensation.

If it's really at you then head back to your dentist just to double check. A lot can change in four months really and there's no harm in being sure to put your mind at ease.

If the worst happens and you lost a tooth then you'd have a few options. You could have a denture made. You could have a bridge which is a tooth that would stick to the back of the teeth on either side and fill the gap or you could have an implant. An implant is basically a screw that is placed in your gum down into the jaw bone and has a tooth permanently fixed on top.

But before you get ahead of yourself definitely pop into your dentist. Hope that helps.

irishbran77

Thanks fonpokno, you've eased my mind alot.

And I will go back in to the dentist and get it checked out. It's such a frustrating thing to have great dental hygiene but because of that overcrowding to see the gumline recede anyway. And to be honest I don't think I could justify spending the money on getting cosmetic work done to the tune of several thousand euros!

Cheers.

aare

Don't get into a state irishbran!

I first noticed this exact condition in my own bottom teeth in 1984 (no kidding!).

The gumlines have been filled in with composite since 1998...and they are still the most secure, sound, teeth in my head. I only had one or two filed slightly to even them yesterday...

Now THAT is something I wish I had known about for 20 years...because of the overcrowding, one tooth stood much higher than the rest, apparently, when that happens the tooth can be filed down a little. Not only is that good aesthetically, but also it can take uneven pressure off opposing teeth.

If you can afford it, consider orthodontics...they can even do clear, invisible braces these days..

irishbran77

Thanks Aare,

I never even heard of composite filling in the gaps between the tooth and the gumline before. It's something I'll mention to the dentist. I'm going this week so I'll report back here.

And it is good to hear (although I sympathise!) that you've had a similar situation with your teeth for more than two decades. I actually was worried I'd lose my teeth within the timeframe of months!

It's a worry since although advances in dentistry are amazing, they usually cost more than what most people can justify spending on their teeth. And while you may think you'd spend any amount to save your teeth at age 30, I doubt I'd be able to give up over 9000 euros!

fonpokno

irishbran77 wrote: »

I never even heard of composite filling in the gaps between the tooth and the gumline before. It's something I'll mention to the dentist. I'm going this week so I'll report back here.

Oh they can do amazing things with composite. I had a tooth created almost entirely out of composite for about 5 years before I got it veneered. You'd never be able to tell the difference between composite and a real tooth!

MoonDancer

There is this mouthwash my dentist recommended to me for gum disease & receding gum line, it's called 'cortisol' have you ever heard of it? You only use it for a month & it's supposed to kill all the bacteria that cause receding gumline. I've been using it and it's working well so far.
Another thing, I don't know if it affects you. But women are prone to fast gum erosion due to low hormone levels, my mother lost a lot of her gums from an early menopause & it was her dentist that spotted it first and told her to get hormone levels checked out.

irishbran77

Thanks for the reply Moon....

I started using that medicated moutwash not long ago. I'm diluting it with a small amount of water yet it's working wonders! As side effects on the label it claims it can cause staining of the tteth and tongue (!!) but all is well as of now. I'd recommend it to anyone in my place.

dragona

MoonDancer wrote: »

There is this mouthwash my dentist recommended to me for gum disease & receding gum line, it's called 'cortisol' have you ever heard of it? You only use it for a month & it's supposed to kill all the bacteria that cause receding gumline. I've been using it and it's working well so far.
.

Actually I think you mean Corsodyl -cortisol is a hormone!

MoonDancer

dragona wrote: »

Actually I think you mean Corsodyl -cortisol is a hormone!

OMG! lol, thanks